This disclosure relates generally to an apparatus for the treatment of back pain or other discomfort originating from or associated with the misalignment of the spinal column. More specifically, this disclosure relates to an inflatable mattress, typically comprising several air bladders, that when inflated with air will assume a shape suitable for supporting the human body in an aligned and therapeutically advantageous prone position. When used properly, the disclosed mattress will support a prone body at rest in an alignment permitting and encouraging all of the vertebrae of the spinal cord to be maintained in the appropriate orientation.
The spinal column has a variety of functions. Primarily, it maintains the structure of the trunk by providing a place of attachment for muscles, ligaments and tendons, and it provides a barrier protecting the brain and spinal cord. Each vertebra in the spinal column has numerous joints permitting its connection to the adjacent vertebrae. Each joint allows for a wide range of movement, and proper alignment of these joints and vertebrae is essential for correct movement and proper spinal bio-mechanics.
The spinal column has four curves; each curve adds to the strength and stability of the spine and absorbs and distributes the forces placed on the spinal column, and, in fact, a spinal column with proper or correct curvature is reported to be ten times stronger than one that is misconfigured.
The spinal column is comprised of 24 movable vertebra and a fused sacrum or tailbone. The seven cervical or neck bones are the smallest and most maneuverable vertebrae. They permit rotation and side to side and forward and backward mobility. The cervical curvature is called xe2x80x9clordoticxe2x80x9d and is normally xe2x80x9cCxe2x80x9d shaped. An altered or reduced cervical curve typically straightens or reverses resulting in weakened neck mechanics. Weakened neck mechanics causes increased tension on the neck region resulting in muscular imbalance and painfull pressure on the nerves of the cervical area Lying, resting or sleeping in the natural prone position will exacerbate the discomfort of a reduced cervical curve by placing additional strain on the neck muscles and pressure on the delicate spinal nerves.
The vertebrae of the middle back or thoracic region create another curve called xe2x80x9ckyphotic.xe2x80x9d These vertebrae are not as mobile as the cervical vertebrae. Their primary function is to provide for organ protection and for the attachment of the ribs. The lumbar or lower back region has five vertebrae. They are characterized by their weigh-bearing ability. They are also configured in a C-shaped curve, which is called xe2x80x9clordotic.xe2x80x9d A decreased or flattened lordotic curve reduces the strength of the back and places undue pressure on the small joints, spinal nerves and the shock-absorbing discs of the lumbar region. Sleeping or resting in the prone position is not recommended for anyone, and it will exacerbate a reduced lordotic curve resulting in pain, spasms and discomfort in the lumbar region.
Low back pain is the most common musculoskeletal ailment in the world today. In addition to the personal suffering and discomfort, it costs society billions of dollars in medical treatments and lost productivity every year. Poor lifting techniques, altered spinal mechanics, typically resulting from injury or trauma, and poor posture are the primary causes of low back pain. Statistics show that 80% of the people in the United States will experience low back pain at least once in their lifetime. And when it occurs, it will be debilitating enough to cause absence from work. For those with chronic or refractory back pain, the associated problems will be magnified.
With the advent and then the prevalence of the personal computer over the past couple of decades, and the ergonomic misalignment of chairs and desks, neck pain and tension have also increased dramatically. In office environments, 30-40% of the employees experience some type of neck pain or stiffness on a regular basis. And again, enormous sums of money are spend on medications to address the symptoms when, in fact, the problem is pressure on the nerves of the spinal column resulting from tension and poor posture.
Mattresses and flotation devices have been used previously to assist in aligning the spine and alleviate back pain and discomfort. Relevant examples of these devices include the support cushion described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,473,913, which issued to Ylvisaker on Oct. 2, 1984. Specifically, the disclosed device is an elongated cushion for therapeutically supporting a person in an arched, face-down, prone position. The cushion has an upper surface, which slopes upwardly from each end toward the middle. At one end is a channel, serving as an unobstructed passageway for air to allow the person being supported to breath while in the prone position.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,086,529, which issued to DeGroot on Feb. 11, 1992 describes an inflatable segmented mattress device wherein the head segment can accommodate the face for purposes of breathing and yet support the face in an orientation that encourages normal curvature and alignment of the spine.
Notwithstanding the features and teachings propounded by the prior art, there remains a need for an affordable inflatable mattress specifically designed to maintain the spinal column of an individual in the preferred orientation while lying or resting in a prone position. More specifically, the disclosed therapeutic mattress for supporting the human body in a prone position and maintaining the spinal column of the body in a preferred orientation features an elongated portion having an upper surface comprising a pair of sloping surfaces, one larger than the other, each sloping in opposing directions from an elevated ridge on the upper surface. Furthermore, to elevate the abdominal area and to reestablish the normal curve of the lumbar vertebrae of the resting prone body, the mattress has a pillow or padded structure positioned medially on the larger sloping surface; and to accommodate the face and re-establish the cervical curve of the resting body, a pillow having a void or depression is positioned medially on the surface of the smaller sloping surface.